Among the numerous bovine pelvic traits displaying sex differences, no detailed studies of bovine obturator foramen are available in the veterinary literature. The purpose of this work was to study quantitatively this structure using lineal biometrics, shape indexes and Fourier analysis. The material consisted of 60 hemicoxae belonging to young bovines of approximately 1 year of age. Although significant differences were found in area, perimeter and length of obturator foramen, none of the analyses used were able to differentiate between sexes and thus cannot be used as a natural trait for determining sex, at least in young bovines.
© 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.